The explosion at Aeon Mall Kumamoto occurred after the Kumamoto earthquake. What was the cause? We have compiled footage of the scene immediately after the explosion.
■Kumamoto Earthquake with a Maximum Seismic Intensity of 7 Rescue operations continue at “Aeon Mall Kumamoto” On the 28th, an earthquake with a maximum seismic intensity of 7 occurred in Kumamoto Prefecture. The site that suffered particularly heavy damage was “Aeon Mall Kumamoto,” the largest shopping center in the prefecture, located in Kashima Town. It is located about 8 kilometers southeast of the center of Kumamoto City. Debris such as peeled-off exterior walls is scattered, and the framework is exposed. The situation inside can be clearly seen from the outside. Many fire trucks, ambulances, and even Self-Defense Force vehicles are parked in the parking lot. Rescue operations are continuing as several people whose safety is still unknown inside the collapsed building.
■Effects of the explosion extend to roads and fields Shockwaves also occurred at “Aeon Mall Kumamoto” in the form of a sudden, large explosion. A video taken in the parking lot immediately after the explosion shows people confused by the smoke that obscured their surroundings, as well as people evacuating. Another video, believed to have been taken after the explosion, shows what appears to be a piece of the blown-off exterior wall hanging from a power line. There are other signs that the explosion was powerful as well… A report states, “It looks like a piece of the exterior wall that was blown off by the explosion on the 28th has become embedded in a truck on a road a short distance away.”
The truck had a large hole in its cargo bed due to the explosion. The driver was reportedly only slightly injured. Furthermore, white fragments were scattered in what appears to be a field further down the road from where the truck was parked. A person who was about 700 meters away at the moment of the explosion said… A nearby resident: “It was such a loud bang that I thought my house had tilted. There was no wind, but there was pressure. It felt like a shockwave. I was wondering if everything was okay, but it’s scary to think that the shockwave could reach this far.”
■ “We all crouched down on the ground and hugged each other” A person inside the building describes the tense moment The large shopping center “AEON Mall Kumamoto,” which was the scene of the earthquake, had about 200 specialty stores and other shops inside before the earthquake, and was visited by many shoppers. This is footage from the moment the earthquake struck on the 28th. A person who was inside AEON Mall Kumamoto at the time of the earthquake (provided footage) “It’s okay, it’s okay” “The dust is terrible” The inside of the store was in chaos, and people were seen evacuating to the outside. About an hour and a half later, the explosion occurred. On the 29th, police footage of the inside of the building shows the ceiling collapsing, and it appears that light is streaming in from outside. Compared to the state of the building before the explosion as seen from the outside, the outer walls and roof are gone. The explosion appears to have been incredibly powerful.
The family of the JNN reporting team, who were at the Aeon Mall at the time, said… Family of the JNN reporting team who encountered the Aeon Mall explosion: “We all bought ice cream, sat on a bench there, and were eating it inside the store. Just as we finished eating, we were taking pictures of each other when the shaking started. We were sitting on the bench at the time, but when the shaking started, we crouched down on the ground and hugged each other.” Rescue efforts are continuing inside the building, with rescue dogs being deployed. According to Kumamoto Prefecture, as of 5 PM on the 29th, eight people have been found, two have died, one is in cardiopulmonary arrest, and five have been injured. Furthermore, Aeon has announced that the whereabouts of three employees are still unknown. ▼TBS NEWS DIG Official Website
An earthquake with a maximum intensity of 7 struck Kumamoto at 4:27 PM on the 28th. The Japan Meteorological Agency has named this earthquake the “Reiwa 8 Kumamoto Earthquake.” A maximum intensity of 7 was observed in Uki City and Hikawa Town. An intensity of 6+ was observed in Yatsushiro City, Uto City, Mashiki Town, and other areas, and an intensity of 6- was observed in Kamiamakusa City, Ashikita Town, and other areas. Broadcast on KKT’s “news every. Kumamoto” on July 29, 2026.
In Uki City, Kumamoto Prefecture, where a seismic intensity of 7 was recorded, houses collapsed and other damage was extensive. Many victims reported that the shaking was more intense than the earthquake 10 years ago. [TV Asahi NEWS]
Rescue teams are working across Kumamoto Prefecture after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck southwestern Japan with a maximum seismic intensity of 7 in the city of Uki and the town of Hikawa. Authorities have confirmed 13 deaths possibly related to the quake, while multiple people remain missing or trapped under collapsed structures.
In the recent earthquake in Kumamoto, Kumamoto Castle, where restoration work has been ongoing since the earthquake 10 years ago, suffered further damage, including the collapse of stone walls. On the 29th, we spoke again with a man involved in the restoration work, whom we interviewed in April of this year.
The earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture on the 28th, with a maximum intensity of 7, has caused serious damage, including fatalities. The situation in Kagoshima Prefecture is also becoming clearer the following day.
There is no prospect of resuming Kyushu Shinkansen service to and from Kagoshima-Chuo Station… JR Kyushu press conference: “We will need some time.” JAL is operating extra flights between Kagoshima and Fukuoka.
In Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture, the extent of the damage is becoming clearer, with evidence of ground uplift. This is footage from near the Yatsushiro Interchange in Yatsushiro City. You can see that the ground in the fields has risen by a step of about 50 to 60 centimeters. This ground uplift continues quite far beyond the fields, and further on, you can see that the bridge girders of the expressway have come loose. Since the magnitude 7 earthquake was observed, 168 earthquakes of magnitude 1 or higher have been observed in Kumamoto City and other areas by 9 a.m. today.
Reporter Kenta Kawasaki: A bridge, which appears to be a pedestrian walkway, has split in the middle and fallen into the river. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, three expressways, including the Kyushu Expressway, are closed to traffic, and national and prefectural roads are also closed due to bridge damage. House collapses are also occurring one after another in various locations. Reporter Yurina Tanaka: The second floor of a house has largely collapsed. In Hikawa Town, where a seismic intensity of 7 was observed, approximately 17 houses have collapsed, and there are reports of injuries. Evacuation is taking place in the intense heat, and at an evacuation center set up in Yatsushiro City, people were seen resting in a gymnasium. In Kumamoto Prefecture, 465 evacuation centers have been opened, and approximately 10,000 people (9,872) have taken refuge there. A person who came to a water supply station said: “There is no water at all, and the electricity is out.” Furthermore, Kumamoto Castle, which was also damaged 10 years ago, has partially collapsed. FNN Prime Online
The earthquake has severed various infrastructures. To what extent will this affect rescue and relief efforts?
■No prospect of Shinkansen and other lines in the prefecture resuming service A day after the earthquake, the impact on infrastructure is expanding. Distorted railway tracks. Numerous utility poles are looming over them. This is the Kagoshima Main Line running through Hikawa Town, Kumamoto Prefecture. Some conventional lines are suspended, and several stations, including Yatsushiro Station, have also suspended operations. The Kyushu Shinkansen has suspended operations since this morning. It is said that service will resume from around 5 p.m. on the 29th, with fewer trains running than usual between Hakata and Chikugo-Funagoya. Due to the suspension of Kyushu Shinkansen service, Japan Airlines operated extra flights on the 29th. Extra flights are also planned to be operated from the 30th onwards. On the Kyushu Expressway, bridge girders have collapsed on both the up and down lanes, creating steps. Electronic display boards above the road are also currently not functioning. Drone footage shows a large step at the road joint, and the cross-section is clearly visible. Some sections of the Kyushu Expressway, Minami-Kyushu Expressway, and Kyushu Chuo Expressway remain closed to traffic within the prefecture. According to NEXCO West Japan, they are currently assessing the extent of the damage and have no clear timeline for restoration.
An announcement stated, “The pipeline is currently malfunctioning, and agricultural water is out of service.” A Self-Defense Forces water tanker had arrived in Hikawa Town. Hikawa Town has been experiencing water and power outages throughout almost the entire area since the 28th. Around 11:00 AM on the 29th, a Self-Defense Forces water tanker arrived, and more than 50 households were seen receiving water. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, approximately 84,000 households in Kumamoto Prefecture have been confirmed to be without water. [TV Asahi NEWS]
The earthquake that struck Kumamoto on the 28th, with a maximum intensity of 7, caused extensive damage in various areas.
■House collapses and road sinkholes… Severe damage At Kumamoto Castle, the stone walls collapsed, and the area was covered in dust. In Uki City, where an intensity of 7 was observed… Reporter (around 7am on the 29th) “There are deep cracks running all over the roads. Passing vehicles are driving at the slowest possible speed.” On a road in Uki City, Kumamoto Prefecture, a car had fallen into a sinkhole. A man who lives nearby said he was in Yatsushiro City, where he works, when the earthquake struck. A man living nearby said, “I can’t go any further, so I can’t get home. Two cars were out for work, but after the earthquake, they haven’t been able to get back home (due to the cracks in the road). I can get out of the car and go, though.” According to the man, as of 8am on the 29th, evacuation centers in Uki City were not open due to power outages and water shortages. He said he spent the night in his car on the 28th when the earthquake struck.
■Shopping street shops “collapsed to the point of being unrecognizable” Factory chimney and bridge pedestrian walkway also collapsed In Hikawa town, a town adjacent to Yatsushiro city, houses collapsed as a magnitude 7 earthquake struck, and rescue efforts were underway. Meanwhile, in Yatsushiro city, which recorded a magnitude 6+ earthquake… Reporter (a little after 5 a.m. on the 29th, in front of Nippon Paper Yatsushiro factory) “This is the site where a chimney broke in Yatsushiro city. You can see that the top part of the chimney broke off and collapsed.” On a bridge in the city, the pedestrian walkway collapsed. There was also damage in the shopping street… Takayanagi, newscaster (a little after noon on the 29th) “This building is severely damaged. It has collapsed to the point of being almost unrecognizable.” A woman who ran a business in this collapsed building said that she was in a building behind it when the earthquake struck, so she escaped harm. As of the 29th, she is staying at an acquaintance’s house.
■Power outages and water shortages amid scorching heat: Serious impact on essential services Takayanagi (morning of the 29th): “We are in Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture. The traffic lights on the road are out. Is there a power outage in the area?” A man living in Yatsushiro City says his house has not been damaged, but… Man living in Yatsushiro City: “Electricity is the most important thing, after all. There’s nothing we can do. We don’t know when the power will be restored. So we’re using generators and other surplus electricity to light up the lights.” Power outages have continued since the earthquake. Furthermore, water shortages have also occurred, affecting essential services. Kumamoto Prefecture experienced another scorching hot day on the 29th, with temperatures exceeding 35℃. According to Kyushu Electric Power, as of 3pm on the 29th, approximately 34,870 households in Kumamoto Prefecture, including Yatsushiro City and Uki City, were without power. At evacuation centers in Yatsushiro City, water was distributed up to 2 liters per person. A local resident said, “Two liters isn’t much, but this isn’t the time to be picky. We’re grateful.” According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, as of noon on the 29th, water outages have affected approximately 84,000 households in 11 cities and towns in Kumamoto Prefecture. A long line formed at a gas station in Yatsushiro City… A man in line (29th) said, “It was hot on the night of the 28th, so I slept in my car. Now I’m running out of gas, and I’m worried about tonight.” In Kumamoto Prefecture, which has suffered extensive damage from the earthquake, evacuations continue amid the scorching heat. ▼TBS NEWS DIG Official Website
